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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30116586">of rain, break-ups, and somebody new</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/herondaleandpitch/pseuds/herondaleandpitch'>herondaleandpitch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Super Junior</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Strangers to Lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:14:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,605</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30116586</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/herondaleandpitch/pseuds/herondaleandpitch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Heechul used to hate it when it rains because of someone else, and a certain someone helps him change it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Heechul/Park Jungsoo | Leeteuk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>of rain, break-ups, and somebody new</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this story is purely fictional. i don't own anything except for the plot.</p>
<p>enjoy reading! ♡</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"It's raining."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul just got out of his office building and what welcomed him was the pouring rain. He never bothered to check the weather forecast for that day before leaving for work, and thus not having an umbrella with him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He has always hated the rain. No, erase that. He used to love it when it rains, but ever since that night, only painful memories are all he remembers whenever it downpours.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's 7 pm and all he wants is to go home and sprawl out on his couch with his dog while browsing the tv for something to watch since it has been a long day at work, but it seems like he will not be able to do it any time soon. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minutes has passed and still, there are no signs that the rain will stop at all, so he decided to just fuck it, brought his bag closer to his body and ran towards the train station, which is, at least a good few meters from his office. He's willing to endure it all if it means he will be able to rest in the comforts of his home as soon as possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul hates the rain, hates the memory he associated with it. He hates how he was just left alone, in the middle of the empty sidewalk, being soaked by the downpour, and while the pouring rain was able to wash away the tears flowing down his face, they weren't able to drown out the pain caused by the heartbreak.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He shook off all the memories that are slowly popping into his head and continued his running. He was nearing the train station when suddenly, he no longer felt the pouring of the rain on his skin, and when he looked up, he saw an umbrella above his head, being held by someone just behind him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul was confused, this man is a stranger, never has he seen him. The man looked at him with a soft gaze and a small smile. "You're soaking wet, you're gonna get sick afterwards."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He looked at the man, still in confusion.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Where are you headed? Are you heading to the station too? I'll take you there."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He still looked at the man, blinking, still in confusion. He stopped running the moment he realized this man has shared his umbrella with him, so now they're in the sidewalk in the middle of the rain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Excuse me but who are you?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He expected the man to be offended by his words, but that's not the reaction he got. Instead, the man just chuckled at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Just a stranger. Come on, it's already getting late and I'm pretty sure you would prefer it if you're sitting on your couch or sprawled out on your bed right now."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul continued to stare at the other man, and after assessing him for a few seconds he let out a soft Fine, and continued walking, with the man beside him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In no time, they reached the train station, which is, unsurprisingly, still almost filled with people like him who just wanted to go home. The kind stranger is still with him, just behind him at the queue, and he found out he'll also get off at the same station as him when they went to buy the train tickets.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul's not gonna lie, the man looks good. He's almost the same height as him, with his angelic face and a dimple which Heechul just wanna poke earlier when the said man smiled at him. Not to mention that he's also kind-hearted, sharing his umbrella with him who is a total stranger. He's everything Heechul wants in a person, but as he is now, still hasn't moved on from his past relationship which ended seven months ago, he can't entertain the thought of dating this stranger. Yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>Heechul sees the man for the second time inside the elevator of his apartment complex, weeks after that night. A look of recognition flashes at the other man's face upon seeing him, so he opted to just nod at the said man. Is he also living here? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was only the two of them inside the elevator, they were still at least five floors away til the ground floor, but the silence in the air makes it seem like they were at the 12th floor of complex. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So, you live here?" He heard the man ask out of the blue, which startled him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ah, yes. Seventh floor."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Really? I'm from seventh floor too." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He looked at the man, a mixture of surprised and confused evident on his face. "Why were you at the sixth floor then? Don't tell me you took the stairs from the seventh and decided to just ride from the sixth."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man chuckled at his words, his dimple visible. Heechul just wanted to poke them right there and then. "No, I just passed by my friend's place. He was sick and I went there to check up on him and made sure he took his medicines."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul nodded at that and kept silent, not knowing what to say. The silence once again was broken by the man with him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Jungsoo."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Huh?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"My name's Jungsoo. Park Jungsoo." The man stretched out his hands towards him, wearing a smile on his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Heechul. Kim Heechul. Thanks for that night, by the way." He said, doing the same thing. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In no time, they reached the ground floor, and they could already hear the sound of the pouring rain from outside. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's raining again." Heechul whispered, that same gloomy feeling he gets everytime it rains is slowly coming back the more he watches the downpour.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You okay?" Jungsoo asked him, tapping him on the shoulders. The man just got off a phone call with someone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, I- I'm okay." Heechul answered , faking a smile on his face. This man didn't need to know the turmoil inside him now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man nodded at that. "You don't have an umbrella don't you? Are you meeting someone? My friend's about to pick me up, we can drop you off to your destination if you want, so you won't have to run in the rain again."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was about to turn down the offer when a car parked in front of them. The other man turned to him and said, "Let's go? Don't worry we won't harm you in any way. I just don't want to leave you especially that it's raining."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore. Good bye, Heechul.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hello? Heechul? Heechul?" He felt someone tapping his arm, and turned his attention on the said man.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Uh, let's go now? If that's fine with you?" Jungsoo asked him softly, and all he could do was nod.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>"Heechul-ah, can we talk?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Heechul heard the man on the other end of the line say. "Right now?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Yes. I'm outside of your apartment complex."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>He immediately rose up from his bed at those words. "Why don't you come in? It's raining hard."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>There was a silence that followed for a few minutes. "Just, please meet me here outside."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Hm, okay. I'm already waiting for the elevator." He said, then hung up the call as the elevator approaches. There were only two people excluding him inside the elevator, and the silence during the ride was a bit suffocating, mainly because Heechul can't shake the feeling he has over the phone call.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>In no time, he reached the ground floor, and immediately ran towards the door and into the sidewalk, where he saw a man leaning by the barricade, being drenched in the rain, waiting for him.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Gosh, look at you. Why did you not bring an umbrella? Why did you choose to meet me here? You could just went straight-up to my apartment."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Heechul."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Hm?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Let's end this."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Heechul looked at the man in front of him. "What?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Let's end this, love."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>He flinched at those words. "Why? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you in some way? Please, I will make it up to you." He said, tears started to form in his eyes.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"No, you didn't. It's not you, Heechul. You didn't do anything. In fact, you're the one who did everything in our relationship. You're always the one to stretch out your hands while I won't even do that for you. You're always the one to run to me when I need you when I can't even jog to be by your side when you need me. You've always been the perfect boyfriend, Chul, and I'm sorry if I can't be that to you."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Both of them still stood in the sidewalk, being drenched in the rain, but the two of them don't mind it at all.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>He took the man's hand and held it tightly, pleading. "Hangeng, please, don't do this. It's fine with me if I will go extra miles for you. That's how much I love you, so please, please. Don't do this to me, please." He said in between his sobs.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Hangeng took his hands and kissed them, and looked directly into his eyes, saying, "I'm really sorry, Heechul. It's unfair for you if you're the only one who wants to keep this relationship going."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>He let go of Heechul's hands and said, "Again, I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore. Good bye, Heechul."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Heechul watched as his boyfriend, no, ex-boyfriend, walked away, leaving him to cry alone in the sidewalk. As much as he wants to go after him and begged him to stay, he suddenly can't find it in him to move his feet, like he was being glued to the ground. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>He continued to cry his heart out on that empty sidewalk under the downpour. He doesn't care anymore if there are people around who can see him like that. The man he loves just broke up with him, leaving him in pieces and without salvation in sight.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul willed himself to think about that night. He was standing at the balcony of his apartment with a beer on one hand and a cigarette on the other, watching as the lights of the city get blurred by the heavy downpour, watching as the whole city get drenched by the pouring rain.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>His third encounter with Jungsoo happened when it was raining once again, but this time, it was the other man who didn't have his umbrella. He passed by the convenience store a few blocks away from his office, when just outside it stands Jungsoo, obviously waiting for the rain to stop.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hey."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jungsoo jumped when he tapped his shoulder, clearly surprised at the sudden touch. He can't help but chuckle at his reaction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Sorry for surprising you like that. Do you wanna go home together? I mean, you don't have your umbrella, right?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, sure. Thank God, I've been wanting to go home for minutes now."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They started walking together, huddled a bit closer in order to fit themselves in the umbrella Heechul brought with him. They started talking about each other, what their work is, where they are working and found out that their office buildings are not too far from each other. They learned that both of them have pets, and they started sharing stories of them back and forth, promising to make sure their pets will meet someday.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The walk to the train station hasn't been an awkward one and before they know it, they arrived, and just like the first time they met, they both bought tickets toward the same station, but the difference this time is that instead of rushing to exit and go home, Heechul waited for the other man and they started walking home towards their respective apartments. He found out Jungsoo was residing at Room 701, just a few doors away from his.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was when Heechul was at his balcony, watching as the rain pours down that he realized that the same gloomy feeling he feels whenever it rains, isn't there at all. Even when he's walking in the rain, nor during this time that he's watching everything get drenched, he doesn't feel sad at all.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>The two started to become closer after that, they exchange contact numbers that night and since then, they found themselves hanging out with each other more often. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The 'someday' that they promised for their pets to meet has happened, much to Heechul's amusement. Jungsoo's dog is such a princessㅡ he actually wants to say that Shimkoong is a brat but Jungsoo insisted that she's not, she's just being treated like the princess that she is. Shimkoongㅡ that brat, Heechul thought to himselfㅡ seems to hate him, no matter what he does. He tried to give her treats, but she'll just bark at him. He tried to call her too many times in a friendly voice, but she just continues to ignore him. And it's the worst whenever he gets too close to Jungsoo, the brat will just snarl at her as if telling him to keep his distance at the other man.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His baby, Kibok, on the other hand seems to love Jungsoo. After all, Kibok's personality is like that, he loves everyone, especially women. But the thing is, Kibok seems to love Jungsoo more than he loves him, his dog just seems to be fond of Jungsoo, follows him around, kisses and licks his face everytime, and even jumped on Jungsoo's lap at the first call of his name, when it would take Heechul a couple of 'Kibok-ah!' and pats on his lap until his dog jumps on his lap.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite the fact that Shimkoong hates him, Heechul's not gonna lie, he enjoyed every moment he spent with Jungsoo and his brat. They even took photos of them together holding their dogs looking like a happy family with their children.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was raining and Heechul was sitting on his bed, scrolling through the photos they took that day, when he noticed that the usual sadness he should be feeling whenever it rains isn't there, replaced by a surging feeling of familiarity and the rapid beating of his heart upon staring at their photos.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>Months had passed and the two grew even more closer, with them being introduced to each other's circle of friends and finding out that they fit in in them. Heechul became close with Hyukjae, always dragging him whenever he and Kyuhyun decided to have a drink together, which is almost every week.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One night when they decided to have a drinking session, Hyukjae asked out of nowhere, "So, are you and Jungsoo dating now?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul choked on his drink at the question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"No, we're not. We're just friends, Hyuk."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two just looked at him incredulously, not believing what he's saying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Friends? Heechul, Jungsoo loves you, didn't he tell you about that? And you clearly have feelings for him."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the second time that night, Heechul choked on his drink once again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Oh, he still hasn't told you? Welp, my bad." Hyukjae said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"But seriously, Chul, you think we won't ever notice?", Kyuhyun started, "The way you just naturally gravitate towards each other whenever all of us were together, the secret glances, the casual touches.... ah, really. Are you sure you're just friends?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul think back to all their interactions, the inside jokes only the two of them knows, the knowing glances they throw each other, and the only thing he could feel is the fast beating of his heart at the thought of the other. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, we're just friends."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He said, more like to himself rather than answering Kyuhyun's question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Just friends."</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>On one of their day-off from work, Heechul and Jungsoo decided to eat out for dinner, just the two of them, like how they would sometimes do. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were peacefully eating at a ramen shop, with Heechul seldomly reaching over to Jungsoo's glass of cola and drinking it and saying "Eh, I hate colas."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"If you hate cola so much, why do you always drink from mine? You have your glass of water, Chul." The other asked him, clearly amused at his antics. He just shrugged as an answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Anyway, Soo," he started, which caught the attention of the other man. "I just wonder, what made you decide to share your umbrella with me that night?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The other seems surprised at his question, clearly not expecting that. But after a few seconds and a sip from his glass of cola, he lowered his chopsticks and said, "You know, it was a year ago. I was about to meet Hyuk and Donghae for a dinner even though the rain outside is pouring down really hard. When I got at the front door of the complex to wait for them to pick me up, I saw two people by the sidewalk, seeming like they're in a serious talk in the middle of the rain. And I recognized one of them as one of the person whom I shared the elevator with just a while ago."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul immediately knew who it was. Everything that happened that night flashed back to his mind once again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I watched the two of them, the person I recognized seemed to be begging for the other person, based on how tightly he's holding the man's hand. Of course, I can't hear what they're talking about, but I saw how the other man let go of the man I recognized and left him to cry on the sidewalk in the middle of the rain. That moment I vowed to myself, 'Ah, I'd do everything I can to help him and make that man happy.'"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul was shaking as he reach out to drink his water. "Excuse me." He whispered and went out of the ramen shop and into the street.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He continued to walk while trying his best to catch his breath, with tears started to form on his eyes and threatening to fall. It's not that it still hurts, no, it's that he can't handle the embarrassment he's feeling after finding out that Jungsoo saw him at his most vulnerable state that night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He kept on bumping other people and had to mumble apologies, and when he was about to turn to a corner, he felt a familiar hand hold his.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Heechul, wait." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He tried to pry his hand off the other when Jungsoo pulled him to face him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He can't bear to show his face to the other so he kept his head down, but clearly that's not what the other man wants. Hands cupped his cheeks and brought them up to face the other, thumbs brushing the tears streaming down his face, Jungsoo's eyes stare right into his.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Did I say something wrong? Are you mad at me for what I said earlier?" Jungsoo asked him softly, in which he shook his head at.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Then what? Did I hurt you because of what I made you recall?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul could hear the fear in the other's voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"No. I was.... actually embarrassed. You saw me at such an ugly state, what with me crying my heart out in the middle of the pouring rain. I don't think I could face you right now."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul heard the other release a deep sigh, followed by a soft chuckle. "Silly, you don't have to be embarrassed by that, when that basically what made me interested in you."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was speechless at what Jungsoo said. He was about to answer when he felt the pouring of the rain slowly falling down. Both of them looked at the sky, and before they knew it, it began to downpour. Unfortunately, they both didn't bring an umbrella with them, as they didn't expect that it would rain that night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jungsoo stretched out his hand towards him which he took, and they started to ran together towards their building, not minding the pouring of the rain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were a few blocks until their apartment when Heechul pulled Jungsoo's hands for the other to face him, put his other hand on the other's neck and kissed him. Jungsoo was startled at first, but in a heartbeat, the other was kissing him back with the same passion, hands around his back bringing him closer to the other man, in which he answered by wrapping both his arms around his neck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They continued to kiss under the pouring rain, not minding the people who happen to pass them by, nor those who could see them from where they were waiting for the rain to stop. They both poured all their emotions in that kiss, both of them tired of the dancing around each other that they have been doing for the past year.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When they deemed it necessary to breathe, they finally let go of each other's lips to catch their breathing. They were both staring at each other's eyes, mirroring the same smile. Jungsoo placed a peck on his lips for the last time and said, "Let's make it official, Chul.", in which he just nodded at, smiling brighter than he did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jungsoo leaned in once again and whispered by his mouth, "I love you, Heechul.", which he mirrored back with, "I love you, Jungsoo." and the two of them shared another kiss under the rain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Heechul used to love it when it rains, until came a time which made him despise it so much. But now, here he was, under the downpour in between the arms of the man he loves and who loves him back with the same amountㅡprobably even moreㅡand he realized that maybe he will grow to love it when it rains once again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>posted on twitter first, i just posted it also here.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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